


Ghost Hunt

by Peppermint_YGO (Peppermint_Shamrock)



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, ema/kusanagi if i continue this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-10
Updated: 2017-10-10
Packaged: 2019-01-15 12:10:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,687
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12320826
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Peppermint_Shamrock/pseuds/Peppermint_YGO
Summary: The Duel ends in her favor, and now Ema has her hands on the obstinate AI that will be her ticket to riches......or death. Not everyone interested in obtaining this AI is interested in purchasing it, as it turns out.





	Ghost Hunt

**Author's Note:**

> I promise I've not abandoned Triple Game, but this idea just wouldn't leave me alone. Not sure how often I'll continue this, and things may change depending on how Vrains progresses. But I think this idea would've been an interesting one to explore.
> 
>  
> 
> **UPDATE: I apologize to anyone who was interested in seeing this fic continue, but I've completely lost interest in Vrains and I don't think I'll be coming back to the series, or this fic.**

“It’s my win, Playmaker.”

He only stared at her, fists clenched at his sides. That look in his eyes…something in it unnerved her slightly. Had losing really rattled him that much? Was that AI so important that losing it was so devestating? Was he merely wrapped up in a pride that she had injured? Or was it something else…?

“As agreed, you’ll turn over that AI to me,” Ema continued, seeing as he wasn’t going to respond. Slowly, Playmaker began to remove his Duel Disk.

“H…hey! Playmaker-sama, you aren’t just going to hand me over, are you?”

Playmaker said nothing.

“Stupid AI, that’s what we agreed on before the Duel began,” Ema reminded him. Seriously, what use was an AI like that? Not very intelligent, and far too obstinate and far too loudmouthed to be of any use in a Duel.

Well, it didn’t matter. It was worth a lot to people with money, and that’s what mattered.

Playmaker removed his deck from his Duel Disk, and reluctantly handed the Disk over to her.

“Hey! You’re really doing this? Not even going to say goodbye? After everything we…”

“The mute button is there,” Playmaker said, speaking for the first time, and indicating the button.

“Thanks.” She pressed it. That certainly would come in handy. The AI continued to protest, but at least she didn’t have to listen to it any more.

“I…” Playmaker started. His fists shook at his sides, and he would not meet Ema’s eyes. “I…I will still…destroy Hanoi.”

Ema had the sense that he was not really talking to her, but to himself. She had been right…this loss had rattled him more than he was letting on. She watched as he turned away, preparing to leave.

“Well…let no one say I’m completely heartless,” she muttered. “Playmaker!”

He stopped, but did not turn.

“The access to SOL’s internal servers…I’m still willing to part with it. For a price, of course.”

“And the AI?”

“Surely you can’t be that naïve, Playmaker. I know SOL desperately wants this AI – and as rich a company as they are, they can fork over far more than an individual such as yourself. No, you’d never be able to meet my price to buy back this AI as long as SOL is in the market. But the data access – SOL wouldn’t pay for a way to break into their own servers. So…are you still interested?”

“What’s your price?” This time he did turn to face her, having gained some composure. Perhaps this data was just as important as the AI? _Hmm…and it could certainly benefit_ me _as well, if he had this…a decoy to distract SOL could be invaluable…perhaps I can negotiate the price a bit more than I normally would. But no harm in asking for more._ She pulled up the numbers, running through them quickly, and showed it to Playmaker.

“Expensive.”

“Just because SOL isn’t in the market doesn’t mean you’re the only one who would have interest in this. If you don’t take my offer, I will have no trouble finding other buyers.”

“…Fine. I’ll pay it.”

Ema widened her eyes in surprise. Not even going to haggle? Either he came from money, or he wanted this more desperately than even she had guessed. Well, she certainly wasn’t going to complain. She accepted the transfer of funds. It was anonymous, she noted with no surprise, and most likely she would find it untraceable. Playmaker wasn’t going to give up his identity that easily.

“Well, see you!” Ema said cheerfully. “Perhaps we can Duel again sometime.” And with that, she turned away. This had been quite a profitable venture, after all. _Ah…there’s just one more thing to take care of, now._ She glanced over at those idiot reporters who were still squawking over themselves about her victory over Playmaker. Such a nuisance, to have such footage spread everywhere. Fortunately, that was simple to deal with.

.

.

.

“How would _you_ like it if someone gagged _you_ for hours on end?”

“You’re tiresome. Just answer my questions already. What is your purpose, exactly? You’re useless as a Duel AI…”

“What do you mean, _useless_?” the AI demanded, affronted. “Playmaker would be nowhere without me! I’m the reason behind his success!”

“Uh huh.” _Playmaker must have the patience of stone to put up with this all the time._

“Besides, why do you care? I thought you were just going to sell me to the highest bidder?”

“If I knew your purpose, if I knew what on earth people would want you for, I will have a better idea of your worth, what my asking price can be,” Ema said, rubbing her temples.

“That’s it? You don’t care for who I am, you only care what price you can fetch for me? What if you sold me into the hands of someone who mistreats me?” the AI said, putting on a dramatic, tearful (if AIs could really be “tearful”) performance.

“I really wouldn’t care.”

“Geez, you’re just as coldhearted as Playmaker. What is wrong with humans these days? You’d think they were the AIs!”

“Will you just answer the question?”

“Fiiiine. In truth,” the AI narrowed its eye. “I don’t know what Hanoi and SOL want with me. I was damaged in an attack from Revolver’s dragon some time ago and I don’t remember much.”

“Damaged, huh? That explains a lot…”

“Hey! I’m in perfectly working order, especially since getting my body back! There’s nothing wrong with me! I only lost my stored history!”

“But if you can’t remember, how do you know that you haven’t had more damaged?” Ema asked. She swore the AI scowled at her. “Well, whatever. But you must have some useful function or data. And I’d rather find that out sooner than later. I’d like to get you off my hands before I break into SOL’s internal servers.”

“Hey, hey, I thought you gave that data to Playmaker?”

Ema smirked.

“Of course. Why do you think I did? I needed a diversion of some sort, and someone like Playmaker is perfect, since SOL has its eye on him already.”

“Selling the access to him just so you could get the data yourself? How underhanded!”

“Thank you.”

“That wasn’t a compliment…humans!” the AI cried in exasperation. “There is something wrong with you lot…”

“At least I wasn’t damaged by Revolver’s dragon.”

“You think you’re clever, don’t you,” the AI growled.

“Well, the sooner you give up your secrets, the sooner you won’t have to deal with me anymore,” Ema said calmly. _And I won’t have to deal with_ you _, anymore either._

“Well…I do know Playmaker’s true identity,” the AI said. Ema sat up straight. That hadn’t even occurred to her before, but now that the AI mentioned it…he would know that, wouldn’t he? Playmaker had to spend some time outside of Link Vrains…

“Oh? That’s interesting…Playmaker certainly is a curious person. So…who is he?”

“Now, why would I tell you? An underhanded person like yourself can’t be trusted!”

“Fine, if you won’t tell me – but I’m sure that information is stored inside you somewhere. And it won’t take someone like me very long to find it.”

“So the underhanded thief is a pervert too? Going to open me up and look at my privates? Fine, fine. Playmaker and his friend did the same. I suppose it is my fate to be horrifically exploited in such a way…” the AI rambled melodramatically.

“The real pervert is whoever programmed you to even think that way,” Ema said, rolling her eyes. Good lord…was this damn thing some sort of AI sex toy? Why else would it need that sort of knowledge? But then, how did it end up in Duels? And with its attitude it’d make a pretty horrible sex toy, at that. Then again, it had admitted to being damaged…

“If you aren’t going to be straightforward with me,” Ema said, “then I’ll get the answers out of you one way or another. And if you insist upon being annoying, I’ll mute you again.” The AI grumbled but complied as Ema gathered up her equipment to begin analyzing the AI.

“Wait, quiet,” Ema said, suddenly feeling on edge. She held still, and the AI even fell silent at her command, for once. Were those…voices? It was true that she had put out the advertisement for the AI already, but she didn’t tell anyone to meet her here. For that matter, no one was supposed to know about this place…had she been careless?

“…the AI…”

Well, they were definitely here for that thing, but she was starting to get the suspicion.

“…a criminal…we don’t care if she gets taken alive…”

 _Shit_.

“Oi, oi, I think SOL is here…but I don’t think they’re interested in buying.”

“Shut it, you,” Ema hissed. _I need to get out of here._ She grabbed up the AI and hesitated. While she hated to destroy such nice equipment she had here…she had no choice. Moving quickly, she set the self-destruct protocol into action. She took off towards the exit, hoping that there weren’t more of SOL’s mercenaries, as the ones she had heard earlier burst through the main door.

The destruct happened at just the right moment. Her machine exploded, flames quickly spreading through the small room, cutting her pursuers off and obscuring her in smoke as she escaped. She leapt onto her motorcycle and sped off into the night.

“Phew! That was close! SOL sure is scary…but they’re pretty stupid. If they had pretended to be interested in buying first, they could have caught you off guard,” the AI said.

“You are more trouble than you’re worth…” Ema said, not really listening. She was too busy thinking of where to run. She couldn’t go home…if it was really SOL, she’d done far too many dealings with them for them not to know where she lived. It quickly became apparent that she only had one option.

She needed to get out of Den City.


End file.
